Planning a Perennial Flower Bed

If you are interested in planting a new perennial bed this spring, here are a few suggestions that will help in the design process.

Scrophularia macrantha
Item # 92750 		Scrophularia macrantha
Redbirds in a Tree

each $5.99
3 to 6 plants $5.79
7 or more $5.59
Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks'
Item # 91927 		Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks'
Fireworks Goldenrod

each $7.99
3 to 6 plants $7.79
7 or more $7.59
  • Topic: Garden Design
  • Keywords: perennial, flowerbed, , Garden Design, flowers, gardens
  • Date: February 2002

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If you are interested in planting a new perennial bed this coming spring, here are a few suggestions that will help in the design process.

With the exception of the Southwestern desert, a bed situated in a full or half day of afternoon sun will give you the most plant choices. Beds in deep shade are a challenge and the selection of plants that thrive in shade, especially dry shade, are limited.

Determine the size of the bed in square feet. This is a helpful measurement to determine how many plants will be needed to fill it. On average, a full grown perennial will occupy an 18” x 18” (2.25 sq. ft) space. Thus a 100 sq. ft bed will need approximately 44 plants.

The majority of perennial flowers are in bloom for an average of 3 to 4 weeks. By including groups of perennials that bloom in early spring, late spring, summer and early fall, your new garden will transform itself through the season as the colors shift from plant to plant. You’ll note that both our catalog and our upcoming database Website are arranged to provide plant choices for each of these bloom times.

Match plants by their water and soil preferences. Planting a xeric Penstemon next to a moisture loving Eupatorium will cause problems. To keep one happy you’ll either drown or drought the other. Avoid putting a sandy soil lover and a clay lover in the same bed. Heavy clay requires the use of clay loving perennials. After a few years of amending and mulching the soil with compost, it will loosen up a bit and a more varied selection of plants can be used.

Group perennials by height. If planting against a fence or wall, the back of the bed should have the tallest growers. The front of the bed is an ideal spot for low growing groundcovers. The middle ground can have a mixture of heights. If the flower bed is visible from all sides put the tallest plants in the middle and graduate the plant heights toward the edges.

And lastly, I suggest putting together trios of perennials that have complementary colors and that bloom at the same time. Favorites for early fall color include: Scrophularia macrantha (Redbirds in a Tree) Salvia pitcheri “Grandiflora” (Pitcher’s Sage) Solidago “Fireworks” (Fireworks Goldenrod).

Put an early fall blooming trio with some early spring, late spring and summer blooming trios and you’ll have a wonderfully varied mix of perennials to brighten your new bed.